The President made his last State of The Union Address tonight. Instead of liveblogging I decided to take his speech and highlight the proposals I liked in blue and those proposals I wasn't too fond of I decided to highlight them in red. To repeat; blue is good, red is bad.
Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Seven years have passed since I first stood before you at this rostrum. In that time, our country has been tested in ways none of us could have imagined. We have faced hard decisions about peace and war, rising competition in the world economy, and the health and welfare of our citizens. These issues call for vigorous debate, and I think it's fair to say we've answered that call. Yet history will record that amid our differences, we acted with purpose. And together, we showed the world the power and resilience of American self-government.
All of us were sent to Washington to carry out the people's business. That is the purpose of this body. It is the meaning of our oath. And it remains our charge to keep.
The actions of the 110th Congress will affect the security and prosperity of our Nation long after this session has ended. In this election year, let us show our fellow Americans that we recognize our responsibilities and are determined to meet them. And let us show them that Republicans and Democrats can compete for votes and cooperate for results at the same time.
From expanding opportunity to protecting our country, we have made good progress. Yet we have unfinished business before us, and the American people expect us to get it done.
In the work ahead, we must be guided by the philosophy that made our Nation great. As Americans, we believe in the power of individuals to determine their destiny and shape the course of history. We believe that the most reliable guide for our country is the collective wisdom of ordinary citizens. So in all we do, we must trust in the ability of free people to make wise decisions, and empower them to improve their lives and their futures.
To build a prosperous future, we must trust people with their own money and empower them to grow our economy. As we meet tonight, our economy is undergoing a period of uncertainty. America has added jobs for a record 52 straight months, but jobs are now growing at a slower pace. Wages are up, but so are prices for food and gas. Exports are rising, but the housing market has declined. And at kitchen tables across our country, there is concern about our economic future.
In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth. But in the short run, we can all see that growth is slowing. So last week, my Administration reached agreement with Speaker Pelosi and Republican Leader Boehner on a robust growth package that includes tax relief for individuals and families and incentives for business investment. The temptation will be to load up the bill. That would delay it or derail it, and neither option is acceptable. This is a good agreement that will keep our economy growing and our people working. And this Congress must pass it as soon as possible.
We have other work to do on taxes. Unless the Congress acts, most of the tax relief we have delivered over the past 7 years will be taken away. Some in Washington argue that letting tax relief expire is not a tax increase. Try explaining that to 116 million American taxpayers who would see their taxes rise by an average of $1,800. Others have said they would personally be happy to pay higher taxes. I welcome their enthusiasm, and I am pleased to report that the IRS accepts both checks and money orders.
Most Americans think their taxes are high enough. With all the other pressures on their finances, American families should not have to worry about the Federal Government taking a bigger bite out of their paychecks. There is only one way to eliminate this uncertainty: make the tax relief permanent. And Members of Congress should know: If any bill raising taxes reaches my desk, I will veto it.
Just as we trust Americans with their own money, we need to earn their trust by spending their tax dollars wisely. Next week, I will send you a budget that terminates or substantially reduces 151 wasteful or bloated programs totaling more than $18 billion. And this budget will keep America on track for a surplus in 2012. American families have to balance their budgets, and so should their Government.
The people's trust in their Government is undermined by congressional earmarks — special interest projects that are often snuck in at the last minute, without discussion or debate. Last year, I asked you to voluntarily cut the number and cost of earmarks in half. I also asked you to stop slipping earmarks into committee reports that never even come to a vote. Unfortunately, neither goal was met. So this time, if you send me an appropriations bill that does not cut the number and cost of earmarks in half, I will send it back to you with my veto. And tomorrow, I will issue an Executive Order that directs Federal agencies to ignore any future earmark that is not voted on by the Congress. If these items are truly worth funding, the Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote.
Our shared responsibilities extend beyond matters of taxes and spending.
On housing, we must trust Americans with the responsibility of homeownership and empower them to weather turbulent times in the housing market. My Administration brought together the HOPE NOW alliance, which is helping many struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure. The Congress can help even more. Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, modernize the Federal Housing Administration, and allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to help homeowners refinance their mortgages. These are difficult times for many American families, and by taking these steps, we can help more of them keep their homes.
To build a future of quality health care, we must trust patients and doctors to make medical decisions and empower them with better information and better options. We share a common goal: making health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans. The best way to achieve that goal is by expanding consumer choice, not government control. So I have proposed ending the bias in the tax code against those who do not get their health insurance through their employer. This one reform would put private coverage within reach for millions, and I call on the Congress to pass it this year. The Congress must also expand health savings accounts, create Association Health Plans for small businesses, promote health information technology, and confront the epidemic of junk medical lawsuits. With all these steps, we will help ensure that decisions about your medical care are made in the privacy of your doctor's office — not in the halls of Congress.
On education, we must trust students to learn if given the chance and empower parents to demand results from our schools. In neighborhoods across our country, there are boys and girls with dreams — and a decent education is their only hope of achieving them. Six years ago, we came together to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, and today no one can deny its results. Last year, fourth and eighth graders achieved the highest math scores on record. Reading scores are on the rise. And African-American and Hispanic students posted all-time highs. Now we must work together to increase accountability, add flexibility for States and districts, reduce the number of high school dropouts, and provide extra help for struggling schools. Members of Congress: The No Child Left Behind Act is a bipartisan achievement. It is succeeding. And we owe it to America's children, their parents, and their teachers to strengthen this good law.
We must also do more to help children when their schools do not measure up. Thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships you approved, more than 2,600 of the poorest children in our Nation's capital have found new hope at a faith-based or other non-public school. Sadly, these schools are disappearing at an alarming rate in many of America's inner cities. So I will convene a White House summit aimed at strengthening these lifelines of learning. And to open the doors of these schools to more children, I ask you to support a new $300 million program called Pell Grants for Kids. We have seen how Pell Grants help low-income college students realize their full potential. Together, we have expanded the size and reach of these grants. Now let's apply that same spirit to help liberate poor children trapped in failing public schools.
On trade, we must trust American workers to compete with anyone in the world and empower them by opening up new markets overseas. Today, our economic growth increasingly depends on our ability to sell American goods, crops, and services all over the world. So we are working to break down barriers to trade and investment wherever we can. We are working for a successful Doha round of trade talks, and we must complete a good agreement this year. At the same time, we are pursuing opportunities to open up new markets by passing free trade agreements.
I thank the Congress for approving a good agreement with Peru. Now I ask you to approve agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. Many products from these nations now enter America duty-free, yet many of our products face steep tariffs in their markets. These agreements will level the playing field. They will give us better access to nearly 100 million customers. And they will support good jobs for the finest workers in the world: those whose products say "Made in the USA."
These agreements also promote America's strategic interests. The first agreement that will come before you is with Colombia, a friend of America that is confronting violence and terror and fighting drug traffickers. If we fail to pass this agreement, we will embolden the purveyors of false populism in our hemisphere. So we must come together, pass this agreement, and show our neighbors in the region that democracy leads to a better life.
Trade brings better jobs, better choices, and better prices. Yet for some Americans, trade can mean losing a job, and the Federal Government has a responsibility to help. I ask the Congress to reauthorize and reform trade adjustment assistance, so we can help these displaced workers learn new skills and find new jobs.
To build a future of energy security, we must trust in the creative genius of American researchers and entrepreneurs and empower them to pioneer a new generation of clean energy technology. Our security, our prosperity, and our environment all require reducing our dependence on oil. Last year, I asked you to pass legislation to reduce oil consumption over the next decade, and you responded. Together we should take the next steps: Let us fund new technologies that can generate coal power while capturing carbon emissions. Let us increase the use of renewable power and emissions-free nuclear power. Let us continue investing in advanced battery technology and renewable fuels to power the cars and trucks of the future. Let us create a new international clean technology fund, which will help developing nations like India and China make greater use of clean energy sources. And let us complete an international agreement that has the potential to slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of greenhouse gases. This agreement will be effective only if it includes commitments by every major economy and gives none a free ride. The United States is committed to strengthening our energy security and confronting global climate change. And the best way to meet these goals is for America to continue leading the way toward the development of cleaner and more efficient technology.
To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow. Last year, the Congress passed legislation supporting the American Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our scientific edge. So I ask the Congress to double Federal support for critical basic research in the physical sciences and ensure America remains the most dynamic nation on earth.
On matters of science and life, we must trust in the innovative spirit of medical researchers and empower them to discover new treatments while respecting moral boundaries. In November, we witnessed a landmark achievement when scientists discovered a way to reprogram adult skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells. This breakthrough has the potential to move us beyond the divisive debates of the past by extending the frontiers of medicine without the destruction of human life. So we are expanding funding for this type of ethical medical research. And as we explore promising avenues of research, we must also ensure that all life is treated with the dignity it deserves. So I call on the Congress to pass legislation that bans unethical practices such as the buying, selling, patenting, or cloning of human life.
On matters of justice, we must trust in the wisdom of our Founders and empower judges who understand that the Constitution means what it says. I have submitted judicial nominees who will rule by the letter of the law, not the whim of the gavel. Many of these nominees are being unfairly delayed. They are worthy of confirmation, and the Senate should give each of them a prompt up-or-down vote.
In communities across our land, we must trust in the good heart of the American people and empower them to serve their neighbors in need. Over the past 7 years, more of our fellow citizens have discovered that the pursuit of happiness leads to the path of service. Americans have volunteered in record numbers. Charitable donations are higher than ever. Faith-based groups are bringing hope to pockets of despair, with newfound support from the Federal Government. And to help guarantee equal treatment for faith-based organizations when they compete for Federal funds, I ask you to permanently extend Charitable Choice.
Tonight the armies of compassion continue the march to a new day in the Gulf Coast. America honors the strength and resilience of the people of this region. We reaffirm our pledge to help them build stronger and better than before. And tonight I am pleased to announce that in April we will host this year's North American Summit of Canada, Mexico, and the United States in the great city of New Orleans.
There are two other pressing challenges that I have raised repeatedly before this body, and that this body has failed to address: entitlement spending and immigration.
Every Member in this chamber knows that spending on entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is growing faster than we can afford. And we all know the painful choices ahead if America stays on this path: massive tax increases, sudden and drastic cuts in benefits, or crippling deficits. I have laid out proposals to reform these programs. Now I ask Members of Congress to offer your proposals and come up with a bipartisan solution to save these vital programs for our children and grandchildren.
The other pressing challenge is immigration. America needs to secure our borders — and with your help, my Administration is taking steps to do so. We are increasing worksite enforcement, we are deploying fences and advanced technologies to stop illegal crossings, we have effectively ended the policy of "catch and release" at the border, and by the end of this year, we will have doubled the number of border patrol agents. Yet we also need to acknowledge that we will never fully secure our border until we create a lawful way for foreign workers to come here and support our economy. This will take pressure off the border and allow law enforcement to concentrate on those who mean us harm. We must also find a sensible and humane way to deal with people here illegally. Illegal immigration is complicated, but it can be resolved. And it must be resolved in a way that upholds both our laws and our highest ideals.
This is the business of our Nation here at home. Yet building a prosperous future for our citizens also depends on confronting enemies abroad and advancing liberty in troubled regions of the world.
Our foreign policy is based on a clear premise: We trust that people, when given the chance, will choose a future of freedom and peace. In the last 7 years, we have witnessed stirring moments in the history of liberty. We have seen citizens in Georgia and Ukraine stand up for their right to free and fair elections. We have seen people in Lebanon take to the streets to demand their independence. We have seen Afghans emerge from the tyranny of the Taliban to choose a new president and a new parliament. We have seen jubilant Iraqis holding up ink-stained fingers and celebrating their freedom. And these images of liberty have inspired us.
In the past 7 years, we have also seen images that have sobered us. We have watched throngs of mourners in Lebanon and Pakistan carrying the caskets of beloved leaders taken by the assassin's hand. We have seen wedding guests in blood-soaked finery staggering from a hotel in Jordan, Afghans and Iraqis blown up in mosques and markets, and trains in London and Madrid ripped apart by bombs. And on a clear September day, we saw thousands of our fellow citizens taken from us in an instant. These horrific images serve as a grim reminder: The advance of liberty is opposed by terrorists and extremists — evil men who despise freedom, despise America, and aim to subject millions to their violent rule.
Since September 11, we have taken the fight to these terrorists and extremists. We will stay on the offense, we will keep up the pressure, and we will deliver justice to the enemies of America.
We are engaged in the defining ideological struggle of the 21st century. The terrorists oppose every principle of humanity and decency that we hold dear. Yet in this war on terror, there is one thing we and our enemies agree on: In the long run, men and women who are free to determine their own destinies will reject terror and refuse to live in tyranny. That is why the terrorists are fighting to deny this choice to people in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Palestinian Territories. And that is why, for the security of America and the peace of the world, we are spreading the hope of freedom.
In Afghanistan, America, our 25 NATO allies, and 15 partner nations are helping the Afghan people defend their freedom and rebuild their country. Thanks to the courage of these military and civilian personnel, a nation that was once a safe haven for al Qaida is now a young democracy where boys and girls are going to school, new roads and hospitals are being built, and people are looking to the future with new hope. These successes must continue, so we are adding 3,200 Marines to our forces in Afghanistan, where they will fight the terrorists and train the Afghan Army and police. Defeating the Taliban and al Qaida is critical to our security, and I thank the Congress for supporting America's vital mission in Afghanistan.
In Iraq, the terrorists and extremists are fighting to deny a proud people their liberty and to establish safe havens for attacks across the world. One year ago, our enemies were succeeding in their efforts to plunge Iraq into chaos. So we reviewed our strategy and changed course. We launched a surge of American forces into Iraq. And we gave our troops a new mission: Work with Iraqi forces to protect the Iraqi people, pursue the enemy in its strongholds, and deny the terrorists sanctuary anywhere in the country.
The Iraqi people quickly realized that something dramatic had happened. Those who had worried that America was preparing to abandon them instead saw tens of thousands of American forces flowing into their country. They saw our forces moving into neighborhoods, clearing out the terrorists, and staying behind to ensure the enemy did not return. And they saw our troops, along with Provincial Reconstruction Teams that include Foreign Service Officers and other skilled public servants, coming in to ensure that improved security was followed by improvements in daily life. Our military and civilians in Iraq are performing with courage and distinction, and they have the gratitude of our whole Nation.
The Iraqis launched a surge of their own. In the fall of 2006, Sunni tribal leaders grew tired of al Qaida's brutality and started a popular uprising called "The Anbar Awakening." Over the past year, similar movements have spread across the country. And today, this grassroots surge includes more than 80,000 Iraqi citizens who are fighting the terrorists. The government in Baghdad has stepped forward as well — adding more than 100,000 new Iraqi soldiers and police during the past year.
While the enemy is still dangerous and more work remains, the American and Iraqi surges have achieved results few of us could have imagined just 1 year ago:
When we met last year, many said containing the violence was impossible. A year later, high profile terrorist attacks are down, civilian deaths are down, and sectarian killings are down.
When we met last year, militia extremists — some armed and trained by Iran — were wreaking havoc in large areas of Iraq. A year later, Coalition and Iraqi forces have killed or captured hundreds of militia fighters. And Iraqis of all backgrounds increasingly realize that defeating these militia fighters is critical to the future of their country.
When we met last year, al Qaida had sanctuaries in many areas of Iraq, and their leaders had just offered American forces safe passage out of the country. Today, it is al Qaida that is searching for safe passage. They have been driven from many of the strongholds they once held, and over the past year, we have captured or killed thousands of extremists in Iraq, including hundreds of key al Qaida leaders and operatives. Last month, Osama bin Laden released a tape in which he railed against Iraqi tribal leaders who have turned on al Qaida and admitted that Coalition forces are growing stronger in Iraq. Ladies and gentlemen, some may deny the surge is working, but among the terrorists there is no doubt. Al Qaida is on the run in Iraq, and this enemy will be defeated.
When we met last year, our troop levels in Iraq were on the rise. Today, because of the progress just described, we are implementing a policy of "return on success," and the surge forces we sent to Iraq are beginning to come home.
This progress is a credit to the valor of our troops and the brilliance of their commanders. This evening, I want to speak directly to our men and women on the frontlines. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen: In the past year, you have done everything we have asked of you, and more. Our Nation is grateful for your courage. We are proud of your accomplishments. And tonight in this hallowed chamber, with the American people as our witness, we make you a solemn pledge: In the fight ahead, you will have all you need to protect our Nation. And I ask the Congress to meet its responsibilities to these brave men and women by fully funding our troops.
Our enemies in Iraq have been hit hard. They are not yet defeated, and we can still expect tough fighting ahead. Our objective in the coming year is to sustain and build on the gains we made in 2007, while transitioning to the next phase of our strategy. American troops are shifting from leading operations, to partnering with Iraqi forces, and, eventually, to a protective overwatch mission. As part of this transition, one Army brigade combat team and one Marine Expeditionary Unit have already come home and will not be replaced. In the coming months, four additional brigades and two Marine battalions will follow suit. Taken together, this means more than 20,000 of our troops are coming home.
Any further drawdown of U.S. troops will be based on conditions in Iraq and the recommendations of our commanders. General Petraeus has warned that too fast a drawdown could result in the "disintegration of the Iraqi Security Forces, al Qaida-Iraq regaining lost ground, [and] a marked increase in violence." Members of Congress: Having come so far and achieved so much, we must not allow this to happen.
In the coming year, we will work with Iraqi leaders as they build on the progress they are making toward political reconciliation. At the local level, Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds are beginning to come together to reclaim their communities and rebuild their lives. Progress in the provinces must be matched by progress in Baghdad. And we are seeing some encouraging signs. The national government is sharing oil revenues with the provinces. The parliament recently passed both a pension law and de-Ba'athification reform. Now they are debating a provincial powers law. The Iraqis still have a distance to travel. But after decades of dictatorship and the pain of sectarian violence, reconciliation is taking place — and the Iraqi people are taking control of their future.
The mission in Iraq has been difficult and trying for our Nation. But it is in the vital interest of the United States that we succeed. A free Iraq will deny al Qaida a safe haven. A free Iraq will show millions across the Middle East that a future of liberty is possible. And a free Iraq will be a friend of America, a partner in fighting terror, and a source of stability in a dangerous part of the world.
By contrast, a failed Iraq would embolden extremists, strengthen Iran, and give terrorists a base from which to launch new attacks on our friends, our allies, and our homeland. The enemy has made its intentions clear. At a time when the momentum seemed to favor them, al Qaida's top commander in Iraq declared that they will not rest until they have attacked us here in Washington. My fellow Americans: We will not rest either. We will not rest until this enemy has been defeated. We must do the difficult work today, so that years from now people will look back and say that this generation rose to the moment, prevailed in a tough fight, and left behind a more hopeful region and a safer America.
We are also standing against the forces of extremism in the Holy Land, where we have new cause for hope. Palestinians have elected a president who recognizes that confronting terror is essential to achieving a state where his people can live in dignity and at peace with Israel. Israelis have leaders who recognize that a peaceful, democratic Palestinian state will be a source of lasting security. This month in Ramallah and Jerusalem, I assured leaders from both sides that America will do, and I will do, everything we can to help them achieve a peace agreement that defines a Palestinian state by the end of this year. The time has come for a Holy Land where a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine live side-by-side in peace.
We are also standing against the forces of extremism embodied by the regime in Tehran. Iran's rulers oppress a good and talented people. And wherever freedom advances in the Middle East, it seems the Iranian regime is there to oppose it. Iran is funding and training militia groups in Iraq, supporting Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, and backing Hamas' efforts to undermine peace in the Holy Land. Tehran is also developing ballistic missiles of increasing range and continues to develop its capability to enrich uranium, which could be used to create a nuclear weapon. Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with you, we respect your traditions and your history, and we look forward to the day when you have your freedom. Our message to the leaders of Iran is also clear: Verifiably suspend your nuclear enrichment, so negotiations can begin. And to rejoin the community of nations, come clean about your nuclear intentions and past actions, stop your oppression at home, and cease your support for terror abroad. But above all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops, we will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf.
On the homefront, we will continue to take every lawful and effective measure to protect our country. This is our most solemn duty. We are grateful that there has not been another attack on our soil since September 11. This is not for a lack of desire or effort on the part of the enemy. In the past 6 years, we have stopped numerous attacks, including a plot to fly a plane into the tallest building in Los Angeles and another to blow up passenger jets bound for America over the Atlantic. Dedicated men and women in our Government toil day and night to stop the terrorists from carrying out their plans. These good citizens are saving American lives, and everyone in this chamber owes them our thanks. And we owe them something more: We owe them the tools they need to keep our people safe.
One of the most important tools we can give them is the ability to monitor terrorist communications. To protect America, we need to know who the terrorists are talking to, what they are saying, and what they are planning. Last year, the Congress passed legislation to help us do that. Unfortunately, the Congress set the legislation to expire on February 1. This means that if you do not act by Friday, our ability to track terrorist threats would be weakened and our citizens will be in greater danger. The Congress must ensure the flow of vital intelligence is not disrupted. The Congress must pass liability protection for companies believed to have assisted in the efforts to defend America. We have had ample time for debate. The time to act is now.
Protecting our Nation from the dangers of a new century requires more than good intelligence and a strong military. It also requires changing the conditions that breed resentment and allow extremists to prey on despair. So America is using its influence to build a freer, more hopeful, and more compassionate world. This is a reflection of our national interest and the calling of our conscience.
America is opposing genocide in Sudan and supporting freedom in countries from Cuba and Zimbabwe to Belarus and Burma.
America is leading the fight against global poverty, with strong education initiatives and humanitarian assistance. We have also changed the way we deliver aid by launching the Millennium Challenge Account. This program strengthens democracy, transparency, and the rule of law in developing nations, and I ask you to fully fund this important initiative.
America is leading the fight against global hunger. Today, more than half the world's food aid comes from the United States. And tonight, I ask the Congress to support an innovative proposal to provide food assistance by purchasing crops directly from farmers in the developing world, so we can build up local agriculture and help break the cycle of famine.
America is leading the fight against disease. With your help, we are working to cut by half the number of malaria-related deaths in 15 African nations. And our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is treating 1.4 million people. We can bring healing and hope to many more. So I ask you to maintain the principles that have changed behavior and made this program a success. And I call on you to double our initial commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS by approving an additional $30 billion over the next 5 years.
America is a force for hope in the world because we are a compassionate people, and some of the most compassionate Americans are those who have stepped forward to protect us. We must keep faith with all who have risked life and limb so that we might live in freedom and peace. Over the past 7 years, we have increased funding for veterans by more than 95 percent. As we increase funding, we must also reform our veterans system to meet the needs of a new war and a new generation. I call on the Congress to enact the reforms recommended by Senator Bob Dole and Secretary Donna Shalala, so we can improve the system of care for our wounded warriors and help them build lives of hope, promise, and dignity.
Our military families also sacrifice for America. They endure sleepless nights and the daily struggle of providing for children while a loved one is serving far from home. We have a responsibility to provide for them. So I ask you to join me in expanding their access to childcare, creating new hiring preferences for military spouses across the Federal Government, and allowing our troops to transfer their unused education benefits to their spouses or children. Our military families serve our Nation, they inspire our Nation, and tonight our Nation honors them.
The secret of our strength, the miracle of America, is that our greatness lies not in our Government, but in the spirit and determination of our people. When the Federal Convention met in Philadelphia in 1787, our Nation was bound by the Articles of Confederation, which began with the words, "We the undersigned delegates." When Gouverneur Morris was asked to draft the preamble to our new Constitution, he offered an important revision and opened with words that changed the course of our Nation and the history of the world: "We the people."
By trusting the people, our Founders wagered that a great and noble Nation could be built on the liberty that resides in the hearts of all men and women. By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful Nation on earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our Nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the State of our Union will remain strong. So tonight, with confidence in freedom's power, and trust in the people, let us set forth to do their business.
Vanessa says she's out. Still no word about whether or not Darryll is going to be able to join.
As for game days, Lindsey has a preference that we play either under Friday night lights or Sunday day games. However, Annette did express a desire not to play on Sundays. Seeing that Annette would be a full-time player, I guess that means Sundays are out. Anyone else have a preference as to which days to play?
As for softball team names, the only suggestion we have thus far is Team Slug which is really unfortunate. So keep trying to come up with something.
Without going into details about why that is a terrible fucking idea I'd like to simply point out this:
When government picks up the tab for health costs, it inevitably feels it is responsible for curtailing them through "prevention," which can often elide into compulsion. As Faith Fitzgerald, a professor at the UC Davis School of Medicine, put it..: "Both healthcare providers and the commonweal now have a vested interest in certain forms of behavior, previously considered a person's private business, if the behavior impairs a person's 'health.' Certain failures of self-care have become, in a sense, crimes against society, because society has to pay for their consequences." [emphasis mine]
Don't think that happens? Well then I guess you haven't noticed the smoking bans or the ban on trans fats. And where exactly does this all end? Certainly there are many other activities and products out there that are considered unhealthy; talking on your cell phone while driving, just talking on your cell phone, serving more than one drink to a woman during dinner, serving too much food for dinner. Who is to say that those things and many others shouldn't be banned by the same logic used to ban smoking and trans fats? I mean why not just have the government ban everything that is even remotely unhealthy so that every American can be insured at a low cost?
Seriously, don't vote for anyone who supports government plans for universal health care. I know Snake wouldn't.
Snake Plissken: Got a smoke? Malloy: The United States is a non-smoking nation! No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol, no women - unless you're married - no foul language, no red meat! Snake Plissken: Land of the free.
This first video is of the USMC Silent Drill Platoon. Be sure to watch it all as it gets particularly badass from about the 3:00 minute mark on.
The second video stars Carrie Underwood in a number of costumes that will bring less than needed but greatly appreciated variety to my fantasies of the Idol.
Those are the people I'm certain I can rely on to show up for every game. That gives us 6 full-time, hard commits. We're looking for ten of those or at least eight of those with about four part-timers who can rotate amongst themselves whenever they can play. So all we need are 4 more players.
Anyone know of anyone else who wants to play? EJ, does Sara still want to play? What about Mehran, Vanessa, or Faye and Jason?
The ones I'm not sure about yet but they said they are interested in playing are:
Lindsey Darryll Annie
Darryll can be relied of IF he comes back to Cali. Lindsey says she's a part-timer at best and that's only if we play on certain days. And Annie is a friend from school who might be able to play but I'm reserving spots for family first.
So who else wants to play? Remember, it's a low skill level, beginner's type of league that we're joining just to have fun. So everyone should feel comfortable to sign up for the team.
Lastly, we still need suggestions for a team name so start sending them in.
Seriously, anyone know of a place like this but either closer or on a weekend night? Because PGW is in serious need of doing a live show for the people.
It's time to get serious about this people. Here are the essentials
Registrations begins February 4 and ends February 15.
League play will begin the week of April 6.
Games are scheduled thusly:
M-F: 7:30pm and 9:00pm Sundays: 9:30am, 11:00am, and 12:30am
Locations: Mason Park Northridge Winnetka
The way I understand it is that we pick the day and location and depending on a few factors we will be assigned a day and place. We can't pick a specific time to play. So you will have to be able to play at the earliest time listed and be able to play until the latest time a game can end on a day; that would be about 10:30pm on weeknights and 2:00pm on Sundays.
So what I'll need to hear from all of you is whether you're interested in playing and what day(s) and location(s) are your preferences?
The skill level we will be going for is C which is Entry Level Abilities, Recreational. That is a step below C+ which is Average/Good, Competitive/Recreational. Basically, it's more for fun than for competition.
Also, we're going to need an awesome team along the lines of Popes Gone Wild. So leave a few suggestions in the comments even if you're not planning on playing.
UPDATE: So it's pretty clear we'll be doing this at a later time. I'm going to suggest now that we do it next Friday at 6pm. Sorry Lindsey, I know you won't be here for that. Hopefully you'll all be able to schedule it in. And yes Austin, this is going into the Google Calendar.
Hey everyone, sorry about the breakdown in communication and the resulting poor planning regarding tonight. The original plan was to meet at the fish and chip place near CSUN probably at around 6pm or so. But due to poor communication on my part apparently nobody was able to plan this into their schedule. I know that Austin has already made other plans and that Annette and Melanie have yet to find babysitters. So we can do one of two things:
1) Those of us able and willing to get together for a drink or two can still do so at about 6pm tonight OR 2) We can push it back to another date when we can get more of us together through better planning and communication.
Let me know soon and I'll update this post accordingly in a few hours.
UPDATE: The only thing to strike me as interesting from this debate was the mention that Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. Well that may simply be not true.
So I'm going to try to liveblog tonight's MSNBC's Democratic debate - it's on from 6pm to 8pm. I say try because Coveritlive seems to have overloaded for the time being.
Anyway, if it does happen, the best way to enjoy this would be to watch along with me - drink in hand - and to participate with comments and voting in the polls.
Just wanted to see who would be interested spending Memorial Weekend out in Vegas? Who's in and who's out? Just wanted to get a head count so I could get a place... I was thinking MGM. Let me know...
Chicken Cacciatore had the honor of being New Dish #2. It is yet another recipe for the slow cooker from
Not much to do here. All you need is some boneless, skinless chicken. You put it in the slow cooker along with a jar of your favorite marinara sauce, mushrooms, sliced onions, and sliced bell pepper. Cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for 3. Then you can serve as is over cooked fettuccine.
Next time I cook it though I'll think about leaving out the bell pepper and slicing the onions a bit thinner. But that's just a personal preference.
I don't know why Annette insists on sending out invitations through the mail to us cousins when she can post to this site. Now in case you haven't gotten that invitation the details are:
Sunday, January 20 10-12:15 @ Creative Leap at this location,
Austin named his album as the best album he heard in 2007. That begs a few questions. I'll start by asking is the album even any good? Well, based on 11 reviews on Amazon.com it's averaging 4 1/2 out of 5 stars so it must be good - to at least 10 out of those 11. Exactly how much music did Austin sample before declaring Jens the best of 2007? He says, "This list was the most difficult to make there was a lot of good music and and [sic] equal amount of bad music out there that I have sampled this year." He then goes on to list his top 5 albums so we are assured that Jens' album is at least the best album out of 10. How did Austin hear about this Jens Lekman to begin with? He credits pitchfork for the find but who or what is pitchfork? I'm thinking a link would have helped. Last question I want to ask, is Austin being pretentious by naming some obscure Swedish indie-pop album as his favorite of 2007 or am I completely oblivious to really good music? Close one, but probably the latter.
*I said I was going to post daily to this blog as one of my resolutions. Consider this the first of many to be lame thrown together at the last minute so-I-don't-break-one-of-my-dumb-resolutions-posts.
That title was weird to put up. Anyway, if you didn't make it to Mama's today you should each say "Have mercy on the soul of ________," at least fifty times while being reminded of the sorrowful mysteries; throw in a few "Pray for the soul of_______;" and "O Lord deliver _______;" and you've basically recreated the night here at Mama's. And no, copying and pasting everything in the comment section does not count.
If you ever wanted to learn the difference between causality and correlation or how the tools of economics can be applied to figuring out questions like "why do drug dealers live with their moms" or "how is the KKK like a group of real-estate agents," then this book is for you. It may also get you to start challenging conventional wisdom although in all likelihood it would be with much less striking questions than those introducing each chapter.
The chapter I found most interesting was the one which asked, "do parents really matter?" And let me just say, things aren't necessarily so bad for Jayden and co.
Joseph Ratzinger had cats around himself for decades, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The CDF is on the Via Aurelia, one of the most traffic-heavy streets in Rome. Daily, cats are killed or injured. Quite a few drag themselves into the garden of the CDF, where Ratzinger resided and movingly cared for them, feeding them, bandaging their wounds, watching them lie in the sun and slowly get better. And he gave names to all of them.
He wanted to write about these cats, but the election to the Papacy foiled these plans....
If you'll recall, I promised myself to learn how to cook one new dish each week of 2008. Last night was the first occasion to do so. To help keep myself honest I'm going to post each recipe I try.
So the first thing I tried to make comes from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. The dish is called Mexican Style Lime and Cilantro Poached Chicken or something like that - too lazy to look it up in the book. Despite the lengthy name it's given - or that I've given it - it's a real easy dish to cook that requires very few ingredients and little preparation. So give it a try.
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken 3-4 lbs.
4 or so sprigs of Cilantro
1 lime
3 cloves of garlic peeled
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Wash and dry chicken
Season chicken inside with salt and pepper
Place chicken in slow cooker and squeeze the juice of the lime all over chicken
Stuff chicken with the used lime, cilantro, and garlic
Season chicken on the outside with salt and pepper
Cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours
Remove chicken from slow cooker and save the drippings and place in fridge
When chicken is cool enough, remove the skin
That's pretty much it. The important thing here is to save the drippings because that's where most of the flavor is and you'll be able to use it as a sauce. You can either skim off the fatty part of the liquid or you could place the drippings in the fridge and later skim off the fat, of course that takes more time.
Serving Suggestions:
Place drippings in a pot and heat up a little to further reduce to use as a sauce
You can then either eat the chicken carved up with rice and beans, or
You can pick the meat off the bones and use it to make chicken tacos, or
Use the chicken meat in any mexican dish like tostada, quesadilla, or nachos
Be sure to cover the chicken with the sauce though or otherwise the chicken may be a little too bland
How did mine come out? Well I tried to make soft chicken tacos but the tortillas we had weren't the best for that purpose and because I was feeling a bit rushed I decided to save the drippings instead of using it to sauce the chicken so it was a little bland. The chicken was also a little cold after I was finished prepping it for tacos so it may have been a good idea to have reheated the shredded chicken in the pan with the drippings.
Anyway, lessons learned and I've got leftover chicken and the drippings to try new things. By the way, do those new things count towards my new dish for each week? Or do I have to come up with something completely different for next week? Well one down, fifty-one more to go.
Lindsey (1:50:55 PM): now i know what it feels like to be bubba from forest gump Bruin7089 (1:51:04 PM): why? Bruin7089 (1:51:09 PM): You keep eating shrimp? Lindsey (1:51:23 PM): no cause i feel like i have a fatty lip Bruin7089 (1:51:30 PM): Why do you have a fat lip? Lindsey (1:51:46 PM): i got my wisdom teeth pulled out this morning Bruin7089 (1:52:04 PM): just go to bed Lindsey (1:52:16 PM): i am and have been Lindsey (1:52:23 PM): my stupid surgery was at 8 am Lindsey (1:52:40 PM): whatever shit they use to knock you out was the best sleep ive ever had Bruin7089 (1:52:46 PM): i don't know Bruin7089 (1:52:50 PM): When i had mine pulled Bruin7089 (1:52:59 PM): i kinda woke up right after it was over Bruin7089 (1:53:23 PM): i woke up as they were wheeling me out to the car Lindsey (1:53:48 PM): yeah same here Lindsey (1:54:00 PM): i was trying to go back to sleep when i woke up Lindsey (1:54:09 PM): and the lady was like no no dont go back to sleep Bruin7089 (1:54:13 PM): that sucks Lindsey (1:54:25 PM): lady didnt want to lift me from the chair Bruin7089 (1:54:26 PM): ahahahahahahaha Bruin7089 (1:54:30 PM): bitch Lindsey (1:54:38 PM): seriously. Bruin7089 (1:54:39 PM): i think that's why i woke up too Lindsey (1:54:50 PM): hahah bitches Lindsey (1:56:38 PM): but it was cool when i first woke up at home i thought i was alright and then everything started to go white and i got really weak. it was quite the experience
The Mud Run is a challenging 10K run with hills, tire obstacles, river crossings, two 5-foot walls with mud on both sides, tunnel crawl, slippery hill climb, and the final 30-foot mud pit. Along the course there will be 6 water points with personnel staged at each. This is the most fun you can have running a 10K!
There's also a $50 registration fee and the race dates are June 7th, 8th, and the 14th. Registration is open to the first 4,000 for each race. LAist says it fills up by the end of January.
Why do this? Well I think it's great idea as a fitness goal that will help motivate me to keep a few of my New Year's Resolutions. Every time I tire while doing cardio, the mere thought of "Suicide Hill" will make me pick up the pace. Every time I think of passing on bench pressing, the idea that I'll have to push myself up to get my face out of mud will keep me from ending my workout early. Plus, how cool would it be to make it through an obstacle course with one of the obstacles named "Suicide Hill?"
Anyway, you can race in teams of 5 so I'm trying to do it that way, but if we end up with a number more than 5 that doesn't break down into teams of 5 we can all race together regardless and make sure each of us finishes. Lindsey and Austin have already committed. I think I've got another friend who will commit by this weekend and Lindsey says she also has a friend willing to join up in the team if needed. So that might be 5 already but if anyone wants to join let me know so we can all register for the same race day. Also, Lindsey says we can crash at her place for the entire weekend so maybe we can make it a weekend trip to San Diego.
So not only will you motivate yourself to get fit by signing up for this but it promises to be fun a lot of ways too. So stop being a prissy bitch and commit to this already! Seriously, let me know soon because I want to register by the end of this weekend.
Surprised; that's how I would describe myself last night after I had asked people individually about their New Year's Resolutions. Not because people came up with exciting ideas to better themselves but because, other than EJ, everyone pretty much blew off coming up with resolutions for this year. At first I thought they were just too busy, lazy, or had forgotten to come up with one but given time they simply refused to come up with any. I joked that it was probably because they were perfect so there was no need them to partake in a time honored tradition.
The common attitude seemed to be, what's the point? Not that it was too hard to come up with something or that they simply had forgotten to formulate one but a definite "who cares" attitude prevailed. Or more precisely - since by asking, I for one did care - it was a "why should I care" attitude. When did a majority of my aunts, uncles, and cousins stopped caring to consciously commit - because I'm talking about New Year's Resolutions here I use the term "commit" loosely - themselves to self-improvement?
Anyway, I thought it would be both insightful to see what others thought they would like to improve themselves on and fun to encourage/discourage them from doing so. Instead I come away a little disappointed.
EJ's woman says that our innocent little Annalynne looks just like the not so innocent Tila Tequila. So I decided to do a side-by-side comparison to see if that's true or not. Try to guess who's who.
Now for those who may have been confused that's Annalynne on the right and Tila Tequila on the left. Ok, so maybe that wasn't a fair comparison. What about the following?
I still don't see it. I mean other than the lounging on the couch thing there's not much to confuse the two. So let's do a couple more just to be really sure before I call EJ's woman blind.
Ok, those are fair comparisons and you know what? I think I'm actually coming around to seeing what EJ's woman was seeing. Ok one last comparison to be completely thorough with these comparisons.
Well what can I say other than I stand corrected. I think we can all agree that if Annalynne maybe just grows out her hair a little more then EJ's woman was correct in saying that Annalynne looks just like Tila Tequila.
On the way home from Vegas we passed over the Hoover Dam.
Darryll: Does anyone know what a dam is? Paloma: A bad word. Darryll: Okay, well besides that? Kids: No clue, what is it? Darryll: Well, its something built to restrict the passage of water.....in some cases its a way of capturing energy for other uses and beavers also build dams as part of their habitat. Angela: Well how many beavers did it take to build this Hoover Dam?
Paloma and Angela spend the day on the couch as punishment. Yelling is limited to 10 cusswords and 4 sentences distributed at an aggravated level. Darryll does nothing because Sonia has shopped all the money away and I lost my spending money in Vegas, but I did try to eat my money's worth at various buffets. I currently weigh CLXXIII pounds.........doesn't look so bad in Roman Numerals.
UPDATE: By the way, in an attempt to get more responses, if you don't leave a comment about your resolutions I'll come up with a few for each of you. Do you really want that to happen?
Leave a comment telling everyone what your New Year's Resolutions are and maybe we can keep each other honest. I think a couple of mine are more than obvious to anyone:
Get a job.
Lose 25 pounds.
Eat healthier.
Keep going to the gym at least 4x a week.
Bench press 225.
Run 5 miles on the elliptical in 30 mins.
Post on this blog daily.
Read 1 book a week.
Get better than Darryll on Rock Band drums.
Don't let Jayden get better than me on Rock Band drums.
I know my political posts here are probably going to fall on deaf ears considering most of you who read this site are either avowed Democrats or apolitical. But I'm going to post it anyway so feel free to skip - really, you won't be hurting my feelings - or consider something new for a change.
While the other contenders are frantically saturating the Iowa airwaves with 30- and 60-second attack ads... Thompson has sat himself down, looked into a camera, and spoken for a quarter of an hour, calmly and straightforwardly making his case. I myself find this impressive—in a way, moving. Thompson seems to have stepped out of the eighteenth century. He trusts voters to think. And if the comments on YouTube are at all representative, plenty of people agree.
Politics as, from time to time at least, they really ought to be.
I'd like to emphasize that this video highlights how different of a political campaign Fred Thompson is running from the traditional campaigns that his opponents are running. It's that difference that I believe has led to the poor coverage of Fred's campaign. Coverage that I hope has led many of the talking heads on tv to underestimate Fred and his chances. And who knows, but if Fred were to be successful maybe this could be the start of getting more politics as they "really ought to be" and shouldn't that be reason enough to vote for Fred?
Now even if you're a Democrat you've got to consider him after his Reaganesque appeal towards the end.
You know, when I'm asked which of the current group of Democratic candidates I prefer to run against, I always say it really doesn't matter…These days all those candidates, all the Democratic leaders, are one and the same. They’re all NEA-MoveOn.org-ACLU-Michael Moore Democrats. They’ve allowed these radicals to take control of their party and dictate their course.
So this election is important not just to enact our conservative principles. This election is important to salvage a once-great political party from the grip of extremism and shake it back to its senses. It's time to give not just Republicans but independents, and, yes, good Democrats a chance to call a halt to the leftward lurch of the once-proud party of working people.
So in seeking the nomination of my own party, I want to say something a little unusual. I am asking my fellow Republicans to vote for me not only for what I have to say to them, but for what I have to say to the members of the other party—the millions of Democrats who haven't left the Democratic party so much as their party's national leadership has left them.
Setting: Austin and I go to Guitar Center to buy new drumsticks for Rock Band. We become immediately overwhelmed by the sight of a wall cubby full of various drumsticks.
Guitar Center Dude (GCD): Can I help you guys? Austin: We're just looking for some drumsticks. GCD: What kind? 5A, 5B...? Me: Uh... we're kinda new to this. Austin: Yeah, what's the difference between 5A and 5B? GCD: They refer to different sizes. You guys have any idea what you're looking for? Me: Not yet, we're just going to look around. GCD: Ok.
After looking around for about 10 minutes, Austin and I decide to go for the cheapest sticks.
Me: We'll just take the cheapest sticks you got. GCD (Sensing he's dealing with completely lame posers.): The cheapest? Me (Sensing what GCD is sensing.): Yeah, the cheapest ones, we're probably just going to break these also anyway and end up coming back for another pair. GCD: That'll be $3.50. Are you guys getting these for a video game? Me (Not sure how to respond to being called out for being completely lame.): Huh? Austin (Also not wanting to look completly lame he decides to play the "act incredulous" card.): No, no, who does a thing like that? GCD: We've had quite a few people doing that recently. Ausin: That's lame. Me (Following Austin's lead.): There's a video game out for drums?! GCD (With a tone suggesting he's not buying our BS.): Yeah. Austin: What's it called? GCD: I think it's called Rock Band. Austin: Never heard of it. Me: Why don't they just learn to play real drums? GCD: Here's your change. Have a good evening. Me: Thanks, you too.
Hope you all had fun last night, I know I did. If anyone has already uploaded pictures from last night to the internets please post the corresponding link in the comments. Thanks!
Annette: Do you like everyone Jayden? Jayden: Yeah, everyone except for Austin. Annette: Why not Austin? Jayden: Because he sucks at Rock Band... he can't sing!
Look who decided to get back into the swing of things. I guess we can now get back to our favorite pastime of checking that site regularly for not so regular postings. Does this mean less posting at this site from Austin? Probably. Does it mean that austin-web.com is going to have more posts than this site now? Probably not.
I don't know why Annette doesn't post things like this, because she certainly should, but in case anyone is in the mood to applaud/throw rotten tomatoes at Jayden, he will be performing in a Christmas show for St. John Eudes at 7pm tonight.
Just a heads up... I need to have the money collected by the 20th.. So either call me and bring it by or bring it to Mama's.. But please remind your parents as well. Lastly, who is in with the alcohol exchange? I need to get those wrapped up as well..
BTW: Anyone have big white boards for pictionary? And any suggestions on some gift card prizes or should we have it just cash prizes?
Setting: Getting ready to play Rock Band as Popes Gone Wild.
Lindsey: Wouldn't it be cool if there were an actual Pope band? Me: Popes Gone Wild is that band. Lindsey: No, I mean a real life band. Me: Popes Gone Wild is real. Don't ruin this for me Lindsey. Lindsey: But it would be awesome if there was a real Pope band. Me: You mean a band made up of actual Popes? Lindsey: Yeah, that would be so cool if Popes decided to get together to form a band. Me: You know there's only one actual Pope at a given time since they serve until they die. Lindsey: Well maybe it could be the Pope and his assistants that form the band. Me: Like The Pope and The Bishops? Lindsey: Yeah. Me: Dork.
austin (12:05:11 AM): dodgers have everything they need... starting pitching bad ass from japan... a new bat... new manager... it's fucking word series season austin (12:05:12 AM): i feel Bruin7089 (12:05:09 AM): that guy is 33 Bruin7089 (12:05:16 AM): and no guarantee he will be good austin (12:05:34 AM): he's good Bruin7089 (12:05:22 AM): that new bat Bruin7089 (12:05:28 AM): had the worst season of his career last year austin (12:05:44 AM): jones is solid Bruin7089 (12:05:53 AM): and the manager couldn't win with the most highly paid team in history austin (12:06:24 AM): ny yankees were a bunch of over paid bitches Bruin7089 (12:06:43 AM): a lot of people say that about the Dodgers Bruin7089 (12:07:16 AM): there was a funny headline that read, "Girl hits man on the head with potato. Dodgers sign her for 15 million a year." austin (12:07:39 AM): lies
I don't know about y'all (<----------- TX roots baby <----------- Scotty Nguyen influence) but I don't think my faith in Christianity is strong enough to skip out on a trip to Mt High on Xmas day. In fact, I'd probably do more worshipping flying off jumps praying I land intact. Someone please find the tickets deals and let's get trip going.
Lindsey: Tagalog is going to be the end of me. Bruin7089: just keep studying Bruin7089: I need someone to translate all the Tagalog gossip at our family gatherings Lindsey: I can translate if they're introducing each others' names Bruin7089: Dork Lindsey: Or if they're talking about shapes and colors
Also from Lindsey's AIM:
Ano ang pangalan ko? Ilang bagay ang berde? Saan ka nakatira? Taga-saan ka?
That's the great news, now for the "say it ain't so" part.
The Dodgers are expected to move Juan Pierre to left field, leaving Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier for right. The surplus of outfielders could make either Kemp or Ethier expendable.
Are you serious!? Juan Pierre getting a spot ahead of Ethier or Kemp!? SAY IT AIN'T SO!
Stay up to date Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content. Whether a site updates daily or monthly, you can be sure that you won't miss a thing.
Simplify your reading experience Google Reader shows you all of your favorite sites in one convenient place. It's like a personalized inbox for the entire web.
I started using Google Reader only yesterday and I'm already in love with it.
So basically I'm sharing with all of you articles I've come across the web that I found at least semi-interesting enough to share. If any of you use Google Reader or any other aggregator and would like to share what they like to read on the web here, feel free to send me the necessary code and I'll update the site.
Bruin7089: are you really learning how to throw a ball? lindsey: im doinga project on it lindsey: for my kinesiology class Bruin7089: so are you throwing a ball or what? lindsey: no. Bruin7089: are you going to be able to teach someone how to throw a ball? lindsey: we're just talking about the mechanics and the phases it goes through. and the injuries lindsey: yeah Bruin7089: really? lindsey: i researched step by step instructions on how to Bruin7089: so you're going to know how to throw one and with practice you'll be good at it? lindsey: possibly Bruin7089: Could you teach your brother how to throw a ball? lindsey: hahaha ill send him my project to read
ARE WE COOKING AGAIN???? Mama has been asking me if are going to be cooking again. Wayne suggested that who ever wants to cook, either cousins or Tita's would be better. So let me know which of you would like to contribute a dish for Christmas so I could let mama know.
This year rather than our $15 gift exchange, I will be collecting $15 dollars from everyone. Tita's, Tito's, Cousins and anyone who will be participating. So let your parents know. The money collected will be used for prizes for games played. This year I decided to do something different so we will be playing games like pictionary, karaoke, mad gab, possibly rock band or guitar hero, etc.. Let me know what other games we could play. But I would like to have all the money collected by Dec 20th so I could get some other stuff rather than just cash as prizes...
Last but not least I mentioned this idea to a couple cousins... The alcohol exchange amongst the cousins or any adults that would like to be included... Price range is 25 bucks of either alcohol and glasses or just alcohol. Just make sure its worth 25 bucks... Let me know whos in or out for this...Cause i know Joni already got hers...
Contra TMNT Mike Tyson's Punch-Out Friday The 13th Ninja Gaiden Mega Man
Of those six I remember finishing only Contra and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. Mike Tyson was particularly frustrating and satisfying when finally finished. And I don't I would've passed Contra without the cheat code. As for the other games, I remember spending a lot of time with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on The Dam level. Such fond memories.
Outside of those games mentioned I didn't really come across any other frustratingly impossible games. It was perhaps because Darryll and I stuck mostly to sports games which weren't frustratingly difficult to beat. Unless it was me trying to beat Darryll in a basketball game that is.
A notable exception would be Smash TV and its neverending waves of swarming enemies, which Mehran has far fonder memories of than I do.
Mama’s House Correspondent: So Moses what do you have to say to those critics who say your performances are all style and no substance? That in effect, although your stage performance is amazing, your actual vocals suck. Moses: For those that have seen the webcasts, will come to realize that it's not all about the vocals. It's about grace and the show. Let's take the wonderfully talented and beautiful Britney Spears. She has the best show on earth, like the past VMA performance. Her vocals may not have been all there... but the dance moves were amazing and thus put on a great show. Mama’s House Correspondent: But because of your vocals, could the Squishies and The Prophets ever put out a quality album or is Squishie and The Prophets meant to be experienced live in concert only? Moses: That's a good question, and even though the raw vocals may not be of the bestest quality, a studio re-edit of the raw data will fix the extremely minute imperfections in the vocal quality of the performance.
Mama’s House Correspondent: Fair enough. Why, if you're the band leader and lead vocalist, is the band called Squishie and The Prophets and not Moses and The Prophets?
Moses: In coming up with the band name, I was extremely intoxicated. Thus the decision was not made with a sane state of mind. I think this was done on purpose as Moses would not have agreed to such ludacrious bull shit. Squishies as a ho. No one likes her... she's like the anti-Gweyn Stefani Mama’s House Correspondent: On that note, two questions remain. Any truth to the rumors that Metatron is being replaced as drummer for the band? Moses: yes. First of all Metatron... what kind of bullshit name is that. It's like someone got hammered and couldn't full come up with the name of Megatron. Second of all, Metatron has no stage presence. Third, he may be the worst band name. Fourth, W-T-F kind of name is Metatron? ... seriously
Tropical Goodies or Goody or wahtever his name is... now that's a fucking name Mama’s House Correspondent: Ok last question in three parts. All the fans of Squishie and The Prophets want to know if you're thinking of starting another band? Whether Squishie and The Prophets will ever perform together again? And if you should ever start a new band, why should current fans of Squishie and The Prophets come out to see the new band?
Moses: Yes, there is a new band being formed that is more Moses-centric becauses Moses knows what all the Moses groupies want ... and that's more Moses. As for whether or not squishie and the prophets performing again... we'll have to wait for Squishie and get back to me and whether or not she will stop hogging the stage and open it up for The Moses to rock out. Now as for the current fans of squishie.... We'll see more of Moses and Moses will be more drunk singing the tunes that squishie fans have come to expects. Mama’s House Correspondent: Thanks for the time Moses. Any last words you would like to share?
Moses: no thank you, Mama's-fonaciers.blogspot.com has always been nice to Moses and has given Moses his first strike at fame
yaz: parents are weird and so damn overprotective Bruin7089: yours are? Bruin7089: or in general? yaz: Not mine yaz: New parents Bruin7089: do you care to tell me why you're thinking this? yaz: I am not saying anyone in specific yaz: But they freak out abuot germs and shit yaz: like my brother yaz: if someone coughs it is like they go all michael jackson on the kids yaz: Fucknig masks, sequester the kids Bruin7089: maybe it's just one of those things we can't understand because we're not in that role yaz: Bubble kids yaz: Fuck that yaz: I hope my kid gets every illness, besides the ones that kill you yaz: Makes them stronger yaz: we are really breading a generation of pussy ass kids Bruin7089: well that's the thing Bruin7089: how do you know it's not the illness that will kill the kid? yaz: Seriously, it is getting out of hand Bruin7089: it's your first kid Bruin7089: i bet if your brother has a second kid Bruin7089: He'll be less overbearing Bruin7089: or protective yaz: he has one yaz: same damn thing yaz: It is ridiculous yaz: Has to be complete silence and darkness for the kids to sleep yaz: I mean come on Bruin7089: are you mad because you couldn't watch tv with them in the next room? yaz: I want my kids to be able to sleep through a fucking train wreck Bruin7089: did they interrupt your Gossip Girl time? yaz: I am pissed because this country is going to hell in a pussy ass hand bag full of pussy ass kids yaz: No spanking, organic baby food, no germs, no playing in the dirt, no getting sick, no going out in the rain, here's a fucking trophy when you lose yaz: Dont run up the score, it hurts kids feelings yaz: No strikeouts in baseball Bruin7089: jesus yaz: Rewards for doing what you are supossed to do yaz: No chatter on the baseball diamond Bruin7089: why don't you just go over to your brother's and hit the kid yaz: My kids are going to hate me Bruin7089: yeah right Bruin7089: you talk tough now yaz: My wife will divorce me for being mentally abusive to my kids Bruin7089: she's supposed to divorce you because you're spending too much time at work alone with the hot secretary yaz: Well that too yaz: I hope Bruin7089: so you're getting divorced on more than one ground Bruin7089: nice yaz: Well I mean if you are going to go, go big right? Bruin7089: A future husband and father of the year in the making yaz: I try my best
Feel free to discuss. I'm particularly interested in knowing if any of the youngin's in our family is in danger of becoming one of these "pussy ass kids."
As you may or may not all know, I'm a bit of a political nerd - which happens to be just one type of nerd I am. So being the political nerd that I am the following strikes me as particularly amusing.
One of the few stories about Papa and Mama that will always stay with me is how they happened to choose their political affiliations here in the US. As some of you may not have known, Papa was a registered republican and Mama is a registered democrat. Having became aware of that fact I asked how that came to be. I don't know if it was the idealist or the romantic in me, but I more than expected a tale of passionate, intelligent political discourse followed by an agreement to respect one another's beliefs as they went their separate ways when registering to vote; and despite diverse political ideologies they were able to maintain a committed loving relationship. So that's what I wanted to believe.
Well here's the truth. I was told that they were at Fedco when they saw a pair of lines to register to vote. I don't know if they thought it was their duty as American citizens to register or what but they decided to get in line. Of course, in true filipino style, they decided to each go into separate lines to make the process of getting registered quicker. Turned out that the lines were distinctly separated for purposes of registering republicans in one line and registering democrats in the other line. So without giving a thought about their political beliefs and which party best represented those beliefs they got into separate lines hoping that the lines moved fast so that they could finally get out of Fedco.
So that is the tale of how Papa came to be a republican and how Mama came to be a democrat.
